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Radiation Fears Prompt New Exodus

By

Phred Dvorak

Updated March 21, 2011 12:01 a.m. ET

SAITAMA, Japan—A week after a massive earthquake and tsunami sent thousands of evacuees fleeing from Japan's northeast coast, the country is seeing a new wave of refugees: those running from radiation.

Tens of thousands of refugees are streaming away from the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, where overheating reactors have been leaking at times dangerous levels of radiation into the air.